Damn It, When I'm Bombastic, I Have

The Worst Thing About The Life Of A Jazz Musician On The Road Is Getting To The Gig. Once You're There And Playing, It's Marvelous.

Jazz Isn't Dead Yet. It's The Underpinning Of Everything In This Country. Whether It's A Broadway Show, Or Fusion, Or Right On Through Classical Music, If It's Coming Out Of The U.s., It's Not Going To Survive Unless It's Got Some Jazz Influence.

I Knew I Wanted To Write On Religious Themes When I Was A Gi In World War Ii. I Saw And Experienced So Much Violence That I Thought I Could Express My Outrage Best With Music.

Over The Years I've Had Strong Friendships With Many Priests. As A Matter Of Fact, A Group Of Christian Leaders From The National Council Of Churches Came To My House In The 1950s To Ask Me To Write Music For A Mass. I Didn't Think I Was Ready At That Time. So, In A Sense, I Guess Joining The Church And Writing The Mass Was A Culmination Of A Long Journey That Is Still Going On.

Art May Not Have The Power To Change The Course Of History, But It Can Provide A Perspective On Historical Events That Needs To Be Heard, Even If It's Seldom Heeded. After All The Temporary Influences That Once Directed The Course Of History Have Vanished, Great Art Survives And Continues To Speak To Each Generation.